Kellett left her family's Uptown apartment in Chicago, Illinois after school on May 7, 1982, and went to play with friends in the street. She was apparently seen speaking to an unidentified male shortly before her disappearance. Witnesses told investigators that they saw the man pull Kellett into a blue four-door 1979 Dodge or Pontiac car. The vehicle was described as having a damaged front passenger door and a license plate beginning with the letters "Q" and "R." Her mother realized she was missing at 4:00 p.m. and the family started looking for Kellett. Her mother called the police a few times that evening, but the authorities didn't join in the search until 10:00 p.m. Kellett has never been heard from again and the vehicle remains unidentified.

Kellett's parents are divorced. She lived with her mother and stepfather at the time of her disappearance, but saw her father regularly. She was well-known in her neighborhood and was active in a local church. Her mother moved out of their former apartment later in 1982 and now lives in Missouri. Kellett's disappearance remains unsolved.